London Metropolitan Archives (LMA)

Research resources for Caribbean Studies and the History of Black and Asian people in the UK

CASBAH SURVEY REPORT

Introduction

Survey Data

Archive Collection Descriptions

Printed Sources - CASBAH database entry

Table - Greater London Council Photographs and Prints

Table - Greater London Council Press Releases

Archive Collection Description - Extract

Appendix

'Here to Stay: The Black Presence in London: A Select Bibliography of Library Resources at the LMA' (Word Document)

Section One - Introduction

The London Metropolitan Archives holds a vast amount of information about the capital and its citizens. Holdings include the archives of the Greater London Council, the London and Middlesex County Councils and their predecessors.

The records at LMA take many forms: tiny pamphlets and enormous volumes, rolled parchment, maps, plans, prints, photographs and microfilms. The records cover a period of nearly 900 years and over 31 miles of shelving, making LMA the largest local authority archive in the United Kingdom. There is also a reference library at LMA with over 100,000 volumes.

A key pillar of the CASBAH project is the insistence that whether or nor presently identified or located, there are records in most, if not all repositories related to Caribbean Studies and the history of Black and Asian people in the UK. This is especially the case at LMA, the very nature of the collections housed at this site a clear indication that many of the archive collections at LMA have records relating to the Black and Asian peoples in the UK and links between the metropolis and its former colonies.

For further information about the London Metropolitan Archives, visit their website at:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/leisure_heritage/libraries_archives_museums_galleries/lma/

Section Two - The LMA Survey

The CASBAH survey was conducted at LMA intermittently between 15 May - 2 June 2000. The survey method was devised by LMA staff and involved three main activities:

Archive Collections

Descriptions of collections held in the following archives have been uploaded to the CASBAH database::

• Hospital records
• London County Council archive

Thematic spread

Black and Asian History

• Local government - Education, Health, Social Welfare
• Local government - racist and anti-racist policy and practice
• Political and social organisations

Click Here to view the CASBAH database entries for the above collections - (available May 2002)

Click Here to view the CASBAH database entries for LMA Printed Sources collection - (available May 2002)

Greater London Council Photographs & Greater London Council Press Releases

Local government records cover the many aspects of social life and are a rich source in providing details about the population it serves.

1. The table of Greater London Council Photographs provides a sample of images relevant to the history of Black and Asian people in the UK.
2. The table of Greater London Council Press Releases provides a sample of press releases relevant to the history of Black and Asian people in the UK.

For further details, please contact the Access and Enquiries Team (AES)at the London Metropolitan Archives: tel 020 7332 3820, fax 020 7833 9136 or Email at:ask.lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk.

Table - Greater London Council Photographs

Table - Greater London Council Press Releases

Archive Collection Description - Extract

Children in Care (LCC/CH)

Administrative/Biographical history: It was only after the Children’s Act of 1948 that Councils of the Counties were required to establish a Children Committee. Shortly after saw the establishment of Children’s Departments which took over the functions of the Education, Welfare and Public Service departments and worked to ensure that the 1948 Children's Act that had consolidated much of the existing laws concerning children and child care was implemented accordingly.

Scope and content: The records comprise of correspondence, reports, and pamphlets. The issues covered in the records include homeless children, residential nurseries, children’s homes, hostels, residential homes, and residential hospitals for children and family homes. There are several records of note in the found in the Miscellaneous papers and files of the Children's Department Records:

• League of Coloured Peoples Ltd (ref: LCC/CH/M/24/1, 1951 - 1958).
  The League of Coloured Peoples was established in 1931 and incorporated into a limited liability company in 1953. The aim of the organisation was to 'provide facilities for the adoption of coloured children in Great Britain' (taken from a report in the file dated March 13th, 1958). The file contains correspondence and notes on the activities of the League in trying to establish itself as a government registered adoption agency.
• Statistics - Annual Departmental Summary (ref: LCC/CH/M/37/4, 1957 - 1963).
  The statistics cover case loads, the reception and discharges of children in care, as well as statistics on the number of children leaving foster homes and children who had been boarded out. The figures are divided according to month of year and London district. Also included in this file is a pamphlet entitled 'Children in Care in England and Wales' (1962) with listed areas, percentages and types of homes.
• 'C' Division: Special Groups of Children (Ref: LCC/CH/M/46/2, 1959 - 1962)
  The 'C' Division of the Children's department was concerned with children of colour, although it was made clear that the activities of the committee were not to be made public. The children were Africans, African Caribbean, and Asian children as well as those children 'whose parents spoke foreign languages'.The file contains papers, correspondence, reports and pamphlets covering the problems of finding homes for the children; the ongoing discussion with commissioners and consulates regarding these children and reports and letters covering meetings with the West Indies Commission and the then Pakistan High commissioner.
• 'C' Division: Children with no Homes ('Twilight children') (ref: LCC/CH/M/46/3, 1960 - 1964).
  This file consists of papers, reports and correspondence relating to young people living in London whose parents are from the 'West Indies or Ireland or the northern part of the country. The issues revealed in the reports include: the 'culture' of the groups; the LCC's position; gender differences; young women in care; near delinquent children living away from home. Reports include: Children's Officers report on near-delinquent children, LCC report on Assistance to Young Children Living away from Home. Also included is correspondence from various Children's Officers.

Appendix

Here to Stay: The Black Presence in London: A Select Bibliography of Library Resources at the LMA

Maxine Miller, LMA librarian, compiled Here to Stay in 1998. The following was taken from her introductory remarks.

1) Library Holdings

London Metropolitan Archives' status as a record office for the Greater London area greatly determines its holdings concerning black people in London. ( the definition of "black" to people of African-Caribbean descent living, and contributing to, life in London .) The London Metropolitan Archives' library retains the characteristics of its previous role as the Greater London History Library: the archive contains many official publications referring to national and local authority responses to the black presence in London and the UK and a collection of library materials that has developed around these publications.

Click Here to view the library holdings

2) The Official publications

The official publications section of the bibliography includes material from:

1. The Greater London Council
2. The Inner London Education Authority
3. The King Edward's Fund for London
4. The London Council of Social Services
5. The National Council of Voluntary Organisations
6. The Southwark Diocesan Association of Wel-care.

The majority of the publications are policy documents, reports and evaluations that formed part of the wide-ranging debate and implementation official policy in these organisations. Material is arranged by organisation in the first instance, then by issuing department with cross references to authors where necessary. In the absence of an issuing department, the entry is made under author only.

Official publications are kept with archival holdings: however, a few titles may also appear in the library holdings section.

Click Here for the full text of 'Here to Stay: The Black Presence in London: A Select Bibliography of Library Resources at the LMA'